Hyundai HB20 Named 2013 Brazilian Car of the Year

2012.11.08 09:20:00No. 1433

Hyundai HB20 Named 2013 Brazilian Car of the Year

- Hyundai Motor’s first Brazil-exclusive model wins the award - The HB family will strengthen Hyundai’s presence in Brazil

Nov. 7, 2012 – The HB20, Hyundai Motor’s first Brazil-exclusive model, was today announced as the 2013 Brazilian Car of the Year at the Museu Brasileiro da Escultura (MuBE) in Sao Paulo City, endorsing the market’s confidence and high expectations for the car and the Hyundai brand in Brazil. Hyundai is the first Korean automaker to win the award.

The jury consists of 16 independent journalists from 11 different media including Autoesporte, one of Brazil’s leading auto magazines. All jurors evaluated the new cars introduced in Brazil between November 2011 and October 2012, and chose Hyundai HB20 as the final winner.

“To win this prestigious award with our first Brazil-exclusive model is an honor beyond words,” said Chang-Kyun Han, President and CEO of Hyundai Motor Brasil, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Hyundai Motor Company. “It is a result of the dedicated research our designers and engineers poured into the HB20, to identify the major characteristics of the Brazilian market. Together with our new Brazilian team members, Hyundai will focus on delivering the highest quality cars to the market.”

Jurors judge the cars on various factors including technology innovation, design, economy, safety, overall performance and comfort. After the evaluation, each juror submits his five favorite models, while the five most-voted cars make the final list. This year, Hyundai HB20 competed for the top honors with Chevrolet Sonic, Citroën C3, Peugeot 308 and Toyota Etios.

Since its launch in October, the HB20 has been posting robust sales, with orders already far exceeding this year’s production capacity. A crossover version of the HB20 hatchback, the HB20X, was unveiled at the 2012 Sao Paulo International Motor Show, while a sedan version will be introduced by the first quarter of 2013. Hyundai’s HB family is expected to elevate the Hyundai brand in Brazil, one of the world’s top five auto markets.

About Hyundai Motor Established in 1967, Hyundai Motor Co. has grown into the Hyundai Motor Group, with more than two dozen auto-related subsidiaries and affiliates. Hyundai Motor -- which has seven manufacturing bases outside of South Korea including Brazil, China, the Czech Republic, India, Russia, Turkey and the U.S. -- sold 4.06 million vehicles globally in 2011. Hyundai Motor, which employs over 80,000 worldwide, offers a full line-up of products including small to large passenger vehicles, SUVs and commercial vehicles. Further information about Hyundai Motor and its products is available at www.hyundai.com.